#galvanising problems

[the-irrelevant-trumpeter]

just scrolled on instagram for an hour because i got obsessed with a series of videos and the memes made about it

[lyinginbedmon]

I don't know how much I can reasonably lean into the weird-fae-creature bit before it becomes unhealthy, but I do find a lot of familiarity and comfort in it.

First and foremost, it's liberating to deliberately identify with something that by definition isn't human. I don't have to concern myself with unreasonable standards if I'm not something in their jurisdiction. So what if I'm weird, so what if people will stare, they did that anyway.

Secondly, it's an indelible tie to my family's history in Ireland. Our modern understanding of the fae is a complex subject, but a lot of it originates in Irish folklore and the sidhe, as well as it its historical interaction with Christianity. Having never even set foot in Ireland myself, a second-generation immigrant (assuming zero-indexing, because of course I am) raised entirely outside of that culture, that's deeply meaningful. It means I'm carrying something from the island with me every day and encourages me to learn more about it.

Thirdly, it's predictive. Fae being repelled by iron is a myth, but the fae are tied in with a lot of ideas about naturalism and anti-industrialism. So in a nutshell, anything bad for nature is invariably going to cause me problems, which aligns neatly with my circumstances as a multiply-disabled chronically ill person. Green fields and fresh air won't help those circumstances, but they certainly won't make them worse (at least as long as they're reasonably disabled-access). So it gives me a grounded place from which to argue for climate preservation, for wildlife protection, and other things of that ilk. I may be a city kid, but I've always held a deep appreciation for such things, and having that direct tie to them is galvanising.

And lastly, perhaps most importantly, it's just fun. I get to be whimsical, I get to be care-free, I get to look for delight in mundane things, I get to be the clown my little nephews can look bemused at, and I get to take principled stands as a messenger from ancient stories here to humble humankind once again.

I might not literally be a daoine sidhe, but I do like being one. It suits me very well. Perhaps that's reason enough.

[astrangetorpedo]

Julien Baker Track by Track - An Interview with Apple Music

“Everybody is scared of death or ultimate oblivion, whether you want to admit it or not,” Julien Baker tells Apple Music. “That’s motivated by a fear of uncertainty, of what’s beyond our realm of understanding—whatever it feels like to be dead or before we're born, that liminal space. It's the root of so much escapism.”

On her third full-length, Baker embraces fuller arrangements and a full-band approach, without sacrificing any of the intimacy that galvanised her earlier work. The result is at once a cathartic and unabashedly bleak look at how we distract ourselves from the darkness of voids both large and small, universal and personal.

“It was easier to just write for the means of sifting through personal difficulties,” she says. “There were a lot of paradigm shifts in my understanding of the world in 2019 that were really painful. I think one of the easiest ways to overcome your pain is to assign significance to it. But sometimes, things are awful with no explanation, and to intellectualise them kind of invalidates the realness of the suffering. I just let things be sad.”

Here, the Tennessee singer-songwriter walks us through the album track by track.

Hardline

“It’s more of a confession booth song, which a lot of these are. I feel like whenever I imagine myself in a pulpit, I don't have a lot to say that's honest or useful. And when I imagine myself in a position of disclosing, in order to bring me closer to a person, that's when I have a lot to say.”

Heatwave

“I wrote it about being stuck in traffic and having a full-on panic attack. But what was causing the delay was just this car that had a factory defect and bomb-style exploded. I was like, ‘Man, someone got incinerated. A family maybe.’ The song feels like a fall, but it's born from the second verse where I feel like I'm just walking around with my knees in gravel or whatever the verse in Isaiah happens to be: the willing submission to suffering and then looking around at all these people's suffering, thinking that is a huge obstacle to my faith and my understanding, this insanity and unexplainable hurt that we're trying to heal with ideology instead of action.”

Faith Healer

“I have an addictive personality and I understand it's easy for me to be an escapist with substances because I literally missed being high. That was a real feeling that I felt and a feeling that felt taboo to say outside of conversations with other people in recovery. The more that I looked at the space that was left by substance or compulsion that I've then just filled with something else, the more I realised that this is a recurring problem in my personality. And so many of the things that I thought about myself that were noble or ultimately just my pursuit of knowing God and the nature of God—that craving and obsession is trying to assuage the same pain that alcohol or any prescription medication is.”

Relative Fiction

“The identity that I have worked so hard to cultivate as a good person or a kind person is all basically just my own homespun mythology about myself that I'm trying to use to inspire other people to be kinder to each other. Maybe what's true about me is true about other people, but this song specifically is a ruthless evaluation of myself and what I thought made me principled. It's kind of a fool's errand.”

Crying Wolf

“It's documenting what it feels like to be in a cyclical relationship, particularly with substances. There was a time in my life, for almost a whole year, where it felt like that. I think that is a very real place that a lot of people who struggle with substance use find themselves in, where the resolution of every day is the same and you just can’t seem to make it stick.”

Bloodshot

“The very first line of the song is talking about two intoxicated people—myself being one of them—looking at each other and me having this out-of-body experience, knowing that we are both bringing to our perception of the other what we need the other person to be. That's a really lonely and sad place to be in, the realisation that we're each just kind of sculpting our own mythologies about the world, crafting our narratives.”

Ringside

“I have a few tics that manifest themselves with my anxiety and OCD, and for a long time, I would just straight-up punch myself in the head—and I would do it onstage. It's this extension of physicality from something that's fundamentally compulsive that you can't control. I can't stop myself from doing that, and I feel really embarrassed about it. And for some reason I also can't stop myself from doing other kinds of more complicated self-punishment, like getting into co-dependent relationships and treating each one of those like a lottery ticket. Like, 'Maybe this one will work out.'”

Favor

“I have a friend whose parents live in Jackson, where my parents live. They’re one of my closest friends and they were around for the super dark part of 2019. I'll try to talk to the person who I hurt or I'll try to admit the wrongdoing that I've done. I'll feel so much guilt about it that I'll cry. And then I'll hate that I've cried because now it seems manipulative. I'm self-conscious about looking like I hate myself too much for the wrong things I've done because then I kind of steal the person's right to be angry. I don't want to cry my way out of shit.”

Song in E

“I would rather you shout at me like an equal and allow me to inhabit this imagined persona I have where I'm evil. Because then, if I can confirm that you hate me and that I'm evil and I've failed, then I don't any longer have to deal with the responsibility of trying to be good. I don't any longer have to be saddled with accountability for hurting you as a friend. It’s something not balancing in the arithmetic of my brain, for sin and retribution, for crime and punishment. And it indebts you to a person and ties you to them to be forgiven.”

Repeat

“I tried so hard for so long not to write a tour song, because that's an experience that musicians always write about that's kind of inaccessible to people who don't tour. We were in Germany and I was thinking: Why did I choose this? Why did I choose to rehash the most emotionally loaded parts of my life on a stage in front of people? But that's what rumination is. These are the pains I will continue to experience, on some level, because they're familiar.”

Highlight Reel

“I was in the back of a cab in New York City and I started having a panic attack and I had to get out and walk. The highlight reel that I'm talking about is all of my biggest mistakes, and that part—‘when I die, you can tell me how much is a lie’—is when I retrace things that I have screwed up in my life. I can watch it on an endless loop and I can torture myself that way. Or I can try to extract the lessons, however painful, and just assimilate those into my trying to be better. That sounds kind of corny, but it's really just, what other options do you have except to sit there and stare down all your mistakes every night and every day?”

Ziptie

“I was watching people be restrained with zip ties on the news. It's just such a visceral image of violence to see people put restraints on another human being—on a demonstrator, on a person who is mentally ill, on a person who is just minding their own business, on a person who is being racially profiled. I had a dark, funny thought that's like, what if God could go back and be like, ‘Y'all aren't going to listen.’ Jesus sacrificed himself and everybody in the United States seems to take that as a true fact, and then shoot people in cold blood in the street. I was just like, ‘Why?’ When will you call off the quest to change people that are so horrid to each other?”

(x)

[scotianostra]

13th November 1715 saw the Battle of Sheriffmuir

There are some dates in history that are etched in your head, like as soon as you see it, or the date is mentioned an event springs to mind, it may be Bannockburn, or Culloden, while I certainly know these dates, Sherrifmuir for some reason is the date that is most recognisable for me, it's strange as the battle holds no special memory and I have no known connection to the battle, it is just "there"….. anyway……. On the hills near Dunblane the Jacobite army under the Earl of Mar was prevented from taking southern Scotland by a much smaller government force.

There was no real winner on the day at Sherrifmuir, Bobbin' John's indecision however left the '15 uprising all but over.

John Erskine, 23rd Earl of Mar had initially been an enthusiastic supporter of George I on the latter's accession to the throne in 1714. But after being publicly snubbed by the new king, Mar decided to back a different horse, and on 1st September 1715 raised a standard for "King James VIII" at Braemar. He rapidly gathered an enthusiastic army of 10,000 men and started to gain considerable ground in northern Scotland. There were three main problems with all of this. The first was that Mar had neglected to tell James in advance of his planned uprising; the second was that he had failed to coordinate his actions with Jacobite uprisings that by coincidence occurred in England at the same time; and the third was that Mar was a very poor general.

Forget the '45 and The Bonnie Prince this was by far the best opportunity the Jacobites would ever have of regaining power and it was squandered.

Had Mar's army pressed on and took the open road ahead of them they might very well have gathered more volunteers along the way and pushed the Hanoverian troops south. James Stuart never arrived until December 22nd, too late to galvanise anything from the situation, the Jacobites still held Perth but by the end of January they had abandoned it and few days later on February 4th the Scottish King and his general sailed for France from Montrose, never to return to Scotland. Remember this was only 8 years after the Union was forced upon the ordinary Scot, there should have been more enthuism for the cause, yet it was not to be, maybe is that sense of what if that makes Sherrifmuir such a vivid memory for me?

[qnewsau]

Launceston's Pride flags vandalised ahead of inclusion forum

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/launcestons-pride-flags-vandalised-ahead-of-inclusion-forum/

Launceston's Pride flags vandalised ahead of inclusion forum

Five days into Pride Month, Launceston’s Pride Flags have been vandalised ahead of a local government forum on LGBTIQA+ inclusion.

Yesterday, Rodney Croome from Equality Tasmania shared a post on social media.

It shows a picture of a Mall in Launceston taken by Brad Cullen of Launceston’s first pride flags.

“Great to see there are Pride flags flying in Launceston today,” the post read.

“Tomorrow, local councillors and staff from across the state will gather in Launceston for a forum on local government and LGBTIQA+ inclusion.”

Last night, the Pride flags in Launceston Mall were vandalised.

Source: Facebook

Vandalism is a reminder of why pride is important.

Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood expressed his disappointment over the vandalism.

“We’re all so incredibly disappointed to see how something so positive … is being responded to by an individual or individuals,” Garwood told Local Radio.

“At the end of the day really, whatever the motive this act strikes is at something more deeper than our flags and banners.”

“It chips away at that spirit of inclusion.”

“I do feel like the way in which this is being conducted is more likely a targeted attack at the specific initiatives and our community.”

“It’s extremely disappointing that Launceston’s first-ever pride flags have been targeted in what seems like a hate-motivated attack,” said Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome.

“The vandalism is a reminder of why Pride Month is so important.”

“Most people will abhor this act of vandalism, and I hope it will galvanise support for LGBTIQA inclusion.”

Police are investigating the incident.

City of Launceston launches LGBTIQA+ survey

 In a Tasmanian first today, a local government LGBTIQA+ forum took place.

“This forum on LGBTIQA inclusion focuses on solutions to the kind of discrimination the flag incident highlights.“ Croome said

“It saw councillors and council staff from across Tasmania learn about the discrimination LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians still face and what councils can do to tackle that discrimination.”

The forum was organised by Equality Tasmania and the Local Government Association of Tasmania.

This event highlighted practical ways councils can build LGBTQIA+  inclusion.

Bringing together community members, local leaders, and advocates to share their voices, experiences, and insights, creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.

“The day went better than I expected.” Croome shared.

“The forum was attended by councillors and council members across the state, and it was a very affirming, informative and uplifting day.”

“Certainly a very good antidote to the news we woke up to about the flags.”

Image: Supplied

Launceston Council LGBTIQA+ community survey launched.

Launceston Council put up the flags to not only coincide with Pride Month, but also for the release of their LGBTIQA+ community survey launched as part of the forum.

“This survey is the first of its kind in Northern Tasmania,” Croome said.

“And it is something the Council is very proud of.”

“The flags were part of their way of showing that pride.”

The survey forms the basis of the council’s LGBTIQA+ Action Plan. 

“This survey shows the Council not only values the principles of inclusion and equal opportunity,” said Croome. 

“But wants to hear from those most affected how it can put those principles into practice.”

“LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians still face much higher rates of discrimination, stigma, hate crime, mental health risk and housing risk, as well as difficulties accessing services addressing these issues.

“The City of Launceston’s survey and subsequent Action Plan will go a long way to addressing those problems.”

The City of Launceston’s first LGBTQIA+ Action Plan was unanimously supported by Councillors.

It aims to foster an inclusive, affirming, and safe environment for all LGBTQIA+ people and their families in Launceston and surrounding regions.

You can find out more about the City of Launceston’s survey here.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[memoriesofcamellias]

Gives you eco friendly wood veneers and screws from your aunt

[ A photo is attached to the ask, consisting of wood veneers diagonally blocking Dongbaek’s door, which is now open. Screws litter the floor on the other side, and you can vaguely make out the image of galvanised square steel in the corner. Seriously, what was she meant to do with all this? Redesign her room? It wasn’t that small. ]

There are now several more problems prohibiting the solution of the first. I own no blunt weapons to remove the wood barring my door. The screws pose a hazard even if I could access my room. You have imparted your lesson.

[whatiwillsay]

It’s probably too early to say this since we’ve got four years to get through but trump can’t run again and I don’t think there’s any other republicans who can galvanise a support base like him. I think in part we just have to wait him out for things to get better

the problem is with full control of every branch of government he may permanently change America into a place where only right wing candidates can win

it's TWO years to the midterms and we can neuter him there. get ready for a fight in two years not four.

[mariacallous]

Georgia's EU crossroads - This Is Europe, The Guardian

Georgia stands at a democratic crossroads – and that’s a problem for the EU, too

A contested vote that returned Georgian Dream to power is dragging the country back into Moscow’s orbit.

How do you solve a problem like Georgia – and, of course, Viktor? One of the most pro-western former Soviet states went to the polls last weekend in a watershed election that may set it on an altogether more authoritarian, Russia-aligned path.

After 30-odd years of pro-western aspiration, with polls showing 80% of its residents in favour joining the EU, its government, led by the populist, far-right Georgian Dream (GD), has been steadily dragging the country back into Moscow’s orbit.

At stake, as Kornely Kakachia of the Georgian Institute of Politics told Pjotr Sauer, is whether Georgia “becomes a sovereign democracy integrated with the west, or falls back into Russia’s sphere of influence” as, potentially, a one-party state.

GD is headed by Georgia’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, but the puppet-master who has spent a decade masterminding its pivot to Russia and away from the EU is the party’s shadowy founder, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, profiled by Pjotr here.

Georgia’s electoral commission duly declared the ruling party won 54% of the vote – a result that the pro-western opposition forcefully rejected, accusing GD of a “constitutional coup” achieved through intimidation and coercion.

International observers from bodies including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the EU reported multiple incidents of threats, physical violence and harassment of voters – but stopped short of saying the elections had been stolen or falsified.

Georgia’s pro-EU president, Salome Zourabichvili, refused to recognise the results, saying the country had fallen victim to a “Russian special operation … a total rigging, a total robbery”. Thousands took to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, in protest.

But it is unclear whether the opposition will be able to galvanise enough support for fresh elections, as it has demanded – or what kind of backing it can expect from the EU, for whose leaders the election results pose a significant problem.

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, along with the French and German foreign ministries, slated “significant election irregularities” and urged a full investigation, and Poland’s foreign ministry said the bloc “must stand with Georgia”.

But Hungary’s illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orbàn – whose Christian-conservative, family-values, Moscow-friendly, nativist-authoritarian playbook GD has essentially adopted – hailed an “overwhelming victory” and headed straight for Tbilisi.

With Hungary holding the rotating six-month EU presidency, that drew a stinging rebuke from 13 member states – including France, Germany and Poland – who criticised Orbàn’s visit as premature and stressed he did not represent the bloc.

The Hungarian leader has form: at the start of Hungary’s presidency in July, he visited Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago on a so-called peace mission. Orbàn’s visit to Tbilisi guarantees Georgia will loom large in an informal summit of EU leaders in Budapest next week.

The EU is used to Orbàn’s divisive antics. But the question of how to proceed with Georgia is existential. (The country was granted candidate membership status last year, though its application was then paused in response to a controversial Russia-inspired “foreign agents” bill passed in May.)

Elections in Moldova last week and Georgia have provided yet further evidence – although Moscow denies it – of a concerted and well-funded effort by Vladimir Putin to reverse eastern Europe’s decades-long march westwards.

How should the EU respond to what a Guardian editorial called “a dismal sign of the times”? Washington has gone as far as sanctioning GD members. On Wednesday, the Commission said it would “not be in a position to consider recommending opening membership negotiations” unless Georgia changes course. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen could well come under pressure to go further.

For the moment, wrote Natalia Antelava, “the biggest winner is the Kremlin, which has just won a battle in its global war against liberal democracy. Georgia’s opposition is unlikely to succeed unless it gets focused attention from Europe and the US.”

However, she concluded: “With the tragedy that has enveloped the Middle East, the drama of the US elections, and the urgency of the increasingly unsustainable war in Ukraine, events in Georgia will struggle to compete for attention.”

[runwayrunway]

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING: A VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE

So, I've mentioned this distantly, but I'm going to be out of the country for a little bit! From the 21st of October to the 4th of November, I am going to be in the United Kingdom. In addition to the simple fact that I'll be busy doing things, I have a few specific, longer posts I'd like to release on the topic. So, while I'm on vacation, I'll be doing one weekly post each Friday in order to ensure I can actually finish writing them (or at least make it far more likely).

While I'll be maintaining my normal schedule for the 13th, 16th, and 20th, I am going to make sure that they are actually shorter posts, to the extent that if I sense myself getting carried away with something that will eat a legitimate chunk of time I will immediately slot it onto the backburner. That's just how it has to be in order to ensure I can write about a topic I think is actually deeply interesting.

I may post some pictures I take of airplanes while I'm there, though, and I'll still be answering asks and all that sort, and probably posting a couple updates on airlines I've already talked about. I wouldn't even rule out teeny mini-reviews like the ones I've done for Aviatsa and the Alaska Airlines Toy Story logojet, but I'm going to be occupied with, you know, the things I'm there for. I'll also be posting at odd hours compared to usual, given the time difference. Not that odd, though, since I work late shifts.

I know my posting has been pretty spotty recently - my last few weeks have been pretty hectic due to a sharp increase in workload at my day job, getting things in order to travel, and other larger life events that I'm not really going to discuss here, plus I've been working on a few things behind the scenes, like a logo, an actual functional navigation page, research for a follow-up post on a certain topic, plus more! Hopefully once this block of extreme preoccupation passes I'll get back in my rhythm.

(Which is two posts a week. Three posts is just not going to happen again, sorry. The posts I write are too long and detailed and good now! Fantastic problem to have, in my opinion. And I hope in your opinion too!)

for all of your continued support. The fact that enough people are interested in my writing, particularly the longer, more research-driven posts I've begun committing to as I probe areas of airline history I think are fairly underdiscussed, that I have to make a big update post means the world to me. I really love what I do here and I think seeing more airplanes is really just going to galvanise me even more and I'm very excited to show you the planes I see on my little journey - and talk about British Airways' surprisingly interesting liveries.

[unitedbydevils]

Match review: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United

Another game, another struggle, only this time we got the defeat we deserved.

Last time we played, we beat Spurs 2-0 in a performance that was one of the most controlled I've seen from a United team in years. It was clinical, efficient, and assured. Yesterday we saw quite the opposite.

United started brightly and were fair for the first 30 minutes, but as the first half wore on the tactical discipline - or perhaps just comprehension of Ten Hag's tactics - fell away.

Garnacho played like a youth prospect; without discipline or focus.

Antony was incredibly wasteful and drifted inwards so often it forced Bruno to move out wide right.

Casemiro and Martinez seem off the pace still.

Rashford does not want to be CF, for all he says he's happy to do it. He does not have the discipline or know-how.

Mason Mount - what he do?

The second half saw Postecoglou's Spurs sharper, and United fall away. The midfield battle was a whitewash, which put the defence on the back foot and left the forwards unable to have any impact.

Subs of Sancho, Eriksen and Dalot helped matters a little, and late additions of Martial and Pellistri didn't get much chance to impact, but all in all it felt like the end of the road for Erik Ten Hag's current strategy with this first XI.

Midfield cannot control a game at present. Amrabat, or even McTominay, might bring some balance to proceedings. The problem is Mount; he's an ideal rotation with Bruno, or a 10 if Bruno's an 8. We know the captain CAN play as an 8, so why is ETH not pushing that matter?

Beyond that, a lack of a CF is criminal. Greenwood shouldn't return but United also have an injured Højlund who's yet to make his debut (and is 20) and an Anthony Martial who is seemingly fit? but also as reliable as a Tory MP. Rashford is being asked to lead the line as a wing forward who likes to stretch a defence. Two different styles.

We face Arsenal soon but Nottingham Forest are next. Rashford left, Sancho right, Martial no9. Lets see how that works for us. Similarly, fucking buy Amrabat already. He's cheap. We're just bad at sales. Van de Beek's sale is dragging. Bailly is still here despite his fee being £0 for prospective buyers. Williams and McTominay might go. These are all tasks for the pre-season, not post-kick off. We should have the funds from these sales to bring in Amrabat and maybe Pavard. It's frustrating that we're still seeing shortages in the team.

I know, I know, Mount was £60m, you get Amrabat and Pavard for his fee. It's true. I still think he has a lot to offer though and needs time to bed in, to understand. He tries hard, has good technical skill, and I think will perform better than Antony's first season. Pressure is far higher at United than Chelsea though, especially after a tough year with injury, Chelsea's managerial merry-go-round... it's hard to settle mentally.

We're only two games in. This isn't disaster territory. It isn't as bad as last year either. Both our opponents had new manager bounce too. We just have to fix up quickly and click, because Arsenal and Brighton are in better shape than Spurs and will do a number on us. Maybe the old baptism of fire might galvanise the squad, but I don't back these lads under the cosh too much. Plucky game vs Barca? Sure. Underdog vibes, shit's exciting. League vs Brighton, who constantly trouble us? We'll panic or get frustrated and sulk our way out of a gameplan and into a 3-0 panning.

[thecrankiestofgremlins]

Remember yall: feeling guilty helps no one unless it galvanises *action*. No one is asking us to feel guilty because we're white. What is being asked of us is to acknowledge this shit as a fact and then start working on the problem. To quote bell hooks "privilege is not an and of itself bad. What matters is what we do with privilege." Feeling guilty about having privilege helps absolutely no one. Use the privilege you have to help people.

i dont think whites understand how being white makes literally everything easier.

it effects everything.

being trans is easier when youre white.

being gay is easier when youre white.

being disabled is easier when youre white.

being a woman is easier when youre white.

being autistic is easier when youre white.

oppression is eased when you are white, as you get extra privileges, and your whiteness is seen as a positive characteristic that in some ways counter-balances your other forms of being a minority. whiteness controls everything.

you are automatically way more innocent in your own oppression as a gay, trans, disabled person because of your whiteness.

never forget this.

[24worldnewsnet]

agesHead of rugby Johann van Graan has backed his Bath players to think on their feet and adapt to whatever Leicester throw at them at Twickenham this afternoon.Bath go into the final as favourites, having beaten Tigers 43-15 when they met in the league four weeks ago."Our process is something that's worked well for us so we're going to stick to what we do," boss Van Graan told BBC Radio Bristol."What this playing group has become exceptional at is problem solving on the pitch and as we had in last season's final - and I'm sure it'll happen in this final - you've got to solve problems on the go. That's the sign of a good team."Whatever the final brings we'll adapt." Sophie HurcomBBC Sport at Allianz Stadium Twickenham We're around 35 minutes to kick-off and a handful of players from both teams are out on the pitch warming-up. Leicester fly-half Handre Pollard is already practicing his kicking from the tee, taking a variety of shots at the posts from across the 10-metre line and winger Ollie Hassell-Collins is jumping to collect a number of high balls.At the other end, Bath stalwart Tom Dunn is jogging around half of the pitch perimeter, waving to fans as he goes as Ben Spencer runs throwing a few passes to one of the team coaches. The stadium is slowly filling up with fans but there's still a lot more to come in with today's match being a sell-out. Getty ImagesThe weeks leading up to Tigers' attempt to secure a record-extending 12th Premiership title have been dominated by the impending mass exodus of star figures.Living Leicester legends Ben Youngs (pictured with head coach Michael Cheika) and Dan Cole, as well as decorated former England team-mate Mike Brown, will retire at full-time.Cheika's one-year stint at the helm will end too, in what is also a farewell match for captain Julian Montoya and two-time World Cup-winning South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard.While the head coach is flying his wife and children over for the Twickenham decider, he insists romanticising about leaving Leicester with the Premiership trophy in hand will not help their cause this week."We want to win for everyone," Cheika said."That title is no more important to them [the departing players] than it is for the other guys, or the guys that don't play, or the support team, or the crowd."It's a club, mate, and we are all part of the club. I don't think they would be upset with me for saying that. It's not about that, it's about us together." Getty ImagesLeicester full-back Freddie Steward says the impending departure of key players has united the Tigers in much the same way as it did three years ago when the then 21-year-old helped them dramatically overcome Saracens in the end-of-season showpiece."There are these sub-plots that galvanise a team and bring your team together," he said."We've obviously got Dan Cole and Ben Youngs retiring, Julian Montoya and Handre Pollard are off and they are lads that are a massive part of this team."You almost want to do it even more for them. You do it for the fans, the coaches and your family but more so than ever this season, it is for each other as well."We want to give those lads a send-off and you can probably see in the back-end of the season the difference that has made."The lads are fighting harder than ever and there is like a desperate-ness to want to be there at Twickenham. And yeah, we will get a shot." Getty ImagesNo matter the outcome today, an era will end for Leicester Tigers this afternoon.Ben Youngs, a five-time Premiership winner with Tigers, and Dan Cole, who has four league crowns on his own CV, will both retire at full-time.They go out together as the two most capped men in English international history.Their long-time England team-mate Mike Brown - a two-time Premiership winner with Harlequins who has been at Tigers since early 2023 – will also bow out at the same time.Captain Julian Montoya will also leave the East Midlands side, as will two-time World Cup-winni

[trueishcolours]

Okay I have an addition which I think works both on the Watsonian level of the Nazgul's power in universe, and on the Doyalist level of the themes that Tolkein was including in the work.

Historian Bret Devereaux has written at length about the importance of morale in LOTR. Devereaux argues that in LOTR, its morale, not strategy or resources, which ultimately win battles (he also argues that this is true in history as well, and that Tolkien, who fought in WWI, was drawing on his experience of the importance of morale for real-life armies). I suggest that the Nazgul are personifications of despair, of what happens to people when their morale falls apart, and they get stronger when the heroes have more to despair about.

When the hobbits are being stalked through the Shire, things are pretty scary, yes, but the danger is also quite limited and personal. The hobbits simply don't know the scale of the problem yet, so there's a limit to how much the Nazgul can terrify them. I'd also argue that the kind of fear you feel when being hunted is very different from the kind of fear you feel in a besieged city - the latter gives you a long time to dread the final outcome, to witness the suffering of others, to fall into despair, while the former is terrifying, but also galvanising! In Fellowship, the Nazgul can make the hobbits panic, yes, but they can't really make them despair or give up, yet.

By contrast, by the time we get to Minas Tirith, the men of Gondor know they're besieged with no way out, they know the forces of Mordor vastly outnumber them, they know they're going to lose not only the battle but also the war, which will mean the triumph of evil forever. There is a lot to despair about! The Nazgul at this point are pretty much just the personification of the kind of hopelessness soldiers feel in this situation.

But what I think is really interesting is that, just as morale can fall apart irrationally even when the danger isn't hopeless, it can also endure irrationally even when logic would say to give up. Devereaux argues that pre-modern battles would almost always be won by the army that could maintain its morale the longest, even against an enemy that theoretically 'could' have beaten them, and that this is what allows the Men of Rohan to win against overwhelming odds at Helm's Deep. So, while the Nazgul can sap the Men of Gondor's morale beyond what the situation itself would rationally call for, a boost in morale can, at least temporarily, limit the power of the Nazgul.

This is what happens when the Rohirrim suddenly appear to relieve the siege. If the Nazgul's intimidation just worked mechanically, like a D&D skill, they're high level now that it's the third book, so they roll intimidation with a big modifier, it's successful and everybody is scared, then the Rohirrim wouldn't have been able to make their daring charge. They'd have been immediately cowed and scattered. And the Men of Gondor wouldn't have been encouraged by the Rohirrim's arrival. It wasn't rational to think that the Rohirrim's relatively small force could break the seige all by itself, but morale isn't rational. It swings up, and the Nazgul's power decreases. We see the same thing happen when Faramir is able to hold his retreating force together while persued by Nazgul, and when Gandalf and Prince Imrahil are able to temporarily encourage the defenders on their rounds of the battlements during the seige. Faramir and Imrahil can't do anything to protect their men from the Nazgul, but their presence is a morale boost which diminishes the Nazgul's power.

So that's why I think that the Nazgul's main ability is to spread despair. The more reason there is to despair, the more they have to work with, which is why their power has increased so much by book three, but they can still be resisted by hope.

Can I please ask for your top five theories on why the Ringwraiths become so much more powerful over the course of the LotR trilogy? By the end of the books a single Ringwraith holds an army of 6000 men in paralysing dread from a height of a mile, they're dismaying hosts of men, etc. And in the beginning, they're easily defeated by "jumping behind a tree," "pretending to be in a different room," "getting on a little boat," "man with a stick on fire," etc.

hmm ok

1) their power depends on how physically close they are to sauron/mordor

2) they consciously weren’t unleashing their full power early in Fellowship bcos it didn’t seem worth it when they were just dealing w hobbits

3) they just woke up from a REALLY long nap and it takes them a while to fully come ‘online’

4) their power just waxes & wanes sometimes

5) hobbits are their One Weakness 

[envirotech123]

Improved Airflow and Noise Control Using Envirotech's Acoustic Louvers 

Introduction To Acoustic Louvers

Environmental noise control, without air circulation, is getting more and more important in urban infrastructure today. Acoustic Louvers have quietly evolved into an ingenious solution for handling both the problems. Envirotech Systems Limited is a manufacturer of supreme Acoustic Louvers for sound attenuation and noise-free air passage. Primarily, systems are utilized for commercial, industrial, and institutional applications that provide air passage and noise control.

What Are Acoustic Louvers?

An Acoustic Louver is a particular sort of ventilation apparatus which prevents the transit of sound while still freely allowing air to pass. Conventional louvers only afford either ventilation or weather protection. Acoustic Louvers absorb and reflect sound waves. They find application in variable systems: mechanical rooms, generator enclosures, cooling towers, HVAC, and power plants wherever noise and airflow reduction are needed. 

Envirotech Systems Limited have created their Acoustic Louvers to be rugged, with a galvanised or stainless steel frame filled with sound-absorbing materials such as acoustic foam or mineral wool, substances that work together in absorbing and dissipating sound energy quite efficiently.

Key Features of Envirotech's Acoustic Louvers

Efficient Noise Reduction:

These Acoustic Louvers offer an important benefit of greatly reducing noises coming from any mechanical equipment, while being rightfully fit to be installed in an urban or sensitive environment.

High Airflow Performance:

In arrival at such attenuation, this would under no circumstance obstruct the passing of air. With an aerodynamic blade profile, the maximum ventilation will be achieved.

Weatherproof:

They are built to weather extreme conditions and may be used either indoors or outdoors.

Customizable Sizes and Finishes:

The designs are made on a custom basis, depending on the volume of airflow, frequency of noise, and artistic integration. They can be offered in all kinds of finishes to suit all aesthetic requirements.

Easy Upkeep and Longevity:

They are easy to clean and maintain and will last for years of excellence. Made from corrosion resistant materials with excellent craftsmanship.

Applications for Acoustic Louvers

The manufacture from Envirotech Systems Ltd of Acoustic Louvers covers applications such as:

Commercial Buildings: Rooftop vent systems, AHU installations, generator rooms. 

Industrial Facilities: Machinery enclosures, process areas, compressor rooms. 

Hospitals and Hotels: Comfortable environment for treatment. 

Educational Institutions: Quiet environment for learning, but with ventilation.

Power Stations and Substations: For sound attenuation where there is also ventilation. 

Why Should You Go with Envirotech Systems Limited?

With more than 20 years of experience within the noise control and acoustic engineering field, Envirotech Systems Limited can be considered as your partner concerning trusted quality Acoustic Louver solutions. Our foremost engineers ensure that each and every product complies with international standards for acoustics and ventilation.

There is a quality assurance process, starting from raw materials selection, manufacturing, and onto final inspection, which guarantees that the products upride performance, durability, and aesthetics far beyond expectation. The company also provides full installation support services and after-sales service.

Installation & Maintenance

The actual installation of an Acoustic Louver is quite straightforward, especially for experienced installers. Generally, the louvers are mounted into walls, doors, or mechanical screens which require noise attenuation alongside air transfer. It is paramount to seal well around the louver frame to avoid any kind of acoustic leaks. 

Almost no maintenance is required, except for occasionally cleaning the louvers by removing dust and rubbish that's collected on the blades to ensure optimum airflow and acoustic performance.

Since they are corrosion proof, our products require no form of surface treatment.

Environment Novice and Sustainable

Envirotech systems Limited stands high and above for its reputation of providing Environmentally Sound Louver systems. Our materials are non-toxic, fire-retardant, recyclable and environmentally friendly. Our designs promote energy efficiency thereby supporting most sustainable building rating programs such as LEED and IGBC. 

How to Choose the Right Acoustic Louver?

Here are some considerations to weigh when making the choice:

Noise Reduction Requirement: What degree of Reduction dB are you looking for? 

Airflow Requirement: What is the CFM requirement for cubic feet per minute(s)? 

Mounting Location: Does it satisfy structural and aesthetic requirements? 

Weather Protection: For the outdoor product: water/dust resistance is essential. 

Certifications: Choose louvers tested for noise attenuation and airflow capability according to industrial standards. 

Envirotech also caters for custom assistance in deciding the correct louver system for your application.

Conclusion

One of the prime factors is that the ugly nuisance called noise pollution penetrating both urban and industrial zones becomes a cause for seeking Acoustic Louver systems-for providing acoustic comfort without losing air flow. Envirotech Systems Limited is the department that delivers superior Acoustic Louver Manufacturer products tested for condemnation and durabilities, all of which are predefined by the requirements and specifications of each client.

Our acoustic solutions fit the mold for both form and functionality and can, therefore, easily be incorporated into a completely new structure or an existing one. Browse through an extensive array of Noise Control Products, and understand how our Acoustic Louver Systems can bring those spaces to life into comfortable sound havens.

[euroshelf]

Selecting the Best Racking and Shelving Suppliers for Long-Term Success

In today's fast-paced commercial and industrial environments, efficient storage is critical. Whether you manage a retail space, warehouse, cold storage unit, or medical facility, the racking and shelving solutions you use are critical to your daily operations. As a result, working with reputable racking and shelving suppliers is critical to ensuring that your infrastructure promotes productivity, safety, and long-term growth.

The market for racking and shelving suppliers has expanded dramatically over the last decade. Businesses now have access to a wide range of systems, including light-duty retail shelving and heavy-duty industrial racking. However, not all suppliers are created equally. Choosing a supplier who understands your specific requirements, offers high-quality materials, and provides tailored solutions can help your company stand out from the crowd.

Many businesses underestimate the importance of professional advice when selecting racking and shelving suppliers. A trustworthy racking and shelving supplier does more than just sell products; they also provide industry-specific advice to help clients avoid costly mistakes. The right supplier will assess your space, recommend suitable configurations, and ensure that load-bearing capacities meet regulatory and operational requirements. This strategic input can help you optimise your floorplan, reduce clutter, and improve your workflow.

Versatility is another important consideration when selecting racking and shelving suppliers. Businesses frequently evolve, and their storage requirements change with growth or seasonal demand. Choosing suppliers who provide modular and customisable systems adds long-term value by allowing businesses to change layouts without replacing entire units. From adjustable steel shelving to mobile racking systems, a supplier's versatility is a significant advantage.

Quality materials are essential. Reputable racking and shelving suppliers will use durable, corrosion-resistant materials like electro-galvanised steel or powder-coated finishes. Polyurethane-coated or stainless steel systems are best suited to high-humidity environments such as cold storage or catering. Investing in quality shelving not only ensures longevity but also improves the safety and hygiene of your workplace.

Local presence is also an important consideration. Working with South African racking and shelving suppliers provides practical benefits such as faster delivery, easy access to support, and local compliance knowledge. South African businesses frequently face unique challenges, such as inconsistencies in warehouse infrastructure or fluctuating temperature zones. Local suppliers are aware of these conditions and can provide appropriate solutions quickly.

Furthermore, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor in procurement decisions. Environmentally conscious racking and shelving suppliers frequently use recyclable materials and efficient manufacturing processes to help clients reduce their carbon footprint. Sustainable shelving systems help achieve environmental goals while also improving a company's brand image.

The right racking and shelving suppliers will also offer installation services to ensure proper alignment and safety standards. Improper installation can result in instability, inefficiency, and risk. A professional supplier provides peace of mind through expert assembly, which saves time and prevents future problems.

Finally, the success of your storage strategy is dependent on selecting the appropriate racking and shelving suppliers. Their expertise, product quality, and commitment to customer satisfaction have a direct impact on operational efficiency and safety. Businesses can ensure that their storage infrastructure is an asset rather than a liability by partnering with suppliers who provide long-lasting, adaptable, and personalised solutions. Invest wisely, and your storage system will support your business goals for years to come.

[localgardeners]

Building Low-Maintenance Raised Beds: Why April is the Best Month to Start

There’s a lot to love about raised beds. They make gardening easier on your back, help control soil conditions, and bring order and structure to outdoor spaces. If you’ve been thinking about setting some up, April is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and get started.

Spring is in full swing, the soil is workable, and there’s still time to get everything established before the main growing season kicks off. A well-built raised bed can transform not just your planting but also how you use and enjoy your garden. And with the right materials and techniques, it’ll keep working hard for years to come with minimal fuss.

Whether you’re growing veg, herbs, flowers, or a mix of all three, setting up raised beds now sets the stage for a more organised, productive, and low-maintenance garden life.

Benefits of Constructing Raised Beds in Early Spring

Raised beds have become a staple of modern gardens for good reason. They’re practical, good-looking, and versatile—and starting them in April means you can really make the most of the growing season ahead.

Easier soil preparation.

Beds are off the main ground level, making them less compacted and faster to warm up in spring. This means you can sow and plant earlier than on open ground. No more waiting for sodden earth to dry out or endlessly forking through heavy clay.

Better control over soil quality.

One advantage of a raised bed is that you choose what goes in. Poor native soil? No problem. With a good fill of compost, loam, and organic matter, you’re giving your plants a tailor-made foundation for strong growth.

Improved drainage.

Raised beds naturally drain better, reducing the risk of waterlogged roots—particularly useful in wet spring months. The slight elevation protects tender seedlings from sitting in cold, wet soil.

Neater, more efficient layouts.

A garden with defined raised beds looks tidy and organised, even when the plants inside are sprawling and lush. It’s easier to plan rotations, interplant, and manage space effectively.

Reduced bending and weeding.

Gardening becomes physically easier with raised beds. Less stooping and fewer weeds mean you can spend more time planting and harvesting, and less time battling aches and brambles.

Starting now in April gives you the best of both worlds: spring warmth for quick establishment and a full season of growth ahead.

Materials to Use for Long-Lasting, Eco-Friendly Beds

Not all raised beds are created equal. Choosing the right materials at the start saves endless repairs and replacements later—and keeps your garden as sustainable as possible.

Locally sourced, untreated wood.

Larch, cedar, and oak are naturally resistant to rot and don’t need chemical treatments. While they might cost more upfront than softwoods like pine, they last much longer and age beautifully to a silver-grey patina. Look for wood from certified sustainable sources where possible.

Reclaimed timber.

Old railway sleepers, scaffold boards, and salvaged wood make excellent raised beds with character and a lower environmental footprint. Just check for old paint or treatments that might not be plant-safe.

Recycled composite boards.

Created from a mix of recycled plastic and wood fibres, composite boards resist rot, require no maintenance, and come in a range of natural-looking finishes. They’re particularly good for modern gardens where clean lines are important.

Natural stone or brick.

If you prefer a more permanent, classic look, using dry-stacked stone or recycled bricks creates a rustic bed that blends beautifully into the landscape. It’s a heavier job but incredibly long-lasting.

Metal options.

Corten steel and galvanised steel have become popular for their modern edge and durability. These materials develop a natural, weathered look over time and work well in contemporary designs.

When building, remember: beds need to be at least 20cm deep for most plants, and ideally 30–45cm for vegetables like carrots, parsnips, or tomatoes. If possible, keep beds no wider than 1.2 metres so you can reach the middle comfortably without stepping in and compacting the soil.

Easy Fill Formulas for Nutrient-Rich Planting

Once your raised bed is built, the real magic begins with filling it properly. The right blend of materials gives plants the best possible start—and reduces the need for endless feeding or soil corrections later on.

A simple and effective formula:

40% topsoil (screened, weed-free)

40% compost (homemade or well-rotted manure)

20% organic matter (leaf mould, coir, or soil improver)

Mix these well before filling the bed. The topsoil provides structure and minerals; the compost brings nutrition and microbial life; and the organic matter improves moisture retention and soil texture.

No-dig method for filling new beds:

If you’re building on grass, you can use a no-dig approach that saves effort and enriches the soil naturally.

First, lay down thick layers of cardboard (with all tape and staples removed) directly on the grass.

Pile a mixture of compost, topsoil, and organic matter on top to create a fertile planting layer.

The cardboard suppresses grass and weeds and eventually breaks down, feeding the soil life below.

This method creates a rich, deep growing medium without backbreaking digging—and it’s ready for planting almost immediately.

Topping up year after year:

Raised beds do settle over time as organic material decomposes. Each spring, simply top them up with a fresh layer of compost or well-rotted manure. It’s a quick, easy job that keeps nutrients flowing and soil levels high.

April: The Ideal Time to Build and Plant

Starting your raised beds in April fits perfectly with the natural flow of the gardening calendar. You’ll have enough warmth to encourage rapid establishment, yet enough coolness to work comfortably outdoors without battling summer heat.

Once your beds are in, you can sow salads, radishes, beetroot, carrots, and hardy annuals straight away. You can also get a head start on climbing beans, courgettes, and squashes under cover, all set to plant out once the risk of frost passes.

With the structure in place and the soil rich and ready, you’ll find that maintaining your garden becomes simpler, quicker, and much more rewarding through the busy summer months.

A few days’ work in April can set you up for an entire season of effortless abundance.

FAQs

Do I need to line my raised beds?

If you're using untreated wood, a breathable liner (such as landscape fabric) can help extend its lifespan without trapping too much moisture. Avoid plastic sheeting, which can cause waterlogging.

What’s the best size for a raised bed?

Aim for a width no greater than 1.2 metres to allow easy access from both sides. The length can vary depending on your space, but 2–3 metres is manageable for most gardens.

Can I use raised beds for perennial planting?

Absolutely. Raised beds aren’t just for veg—herbaceous perennials, shrubs, and even small trees can thrive in well-built beds, provided the soil depth and drainage suit their needs.

© Local Gardeners